Draft Agenda

Tue, May 20

DAY 1 

Conference Program Starts: Welcome/Opening Remarks

• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
• Suresh Garimella, President, University of Arizona 
• Austin Nuñez, Chairman, San Xavier District, Tohono O'odham Nation

Special Dedication to the Memory and Legacy of Roberto F. Salmón Castelo (1953-2025), Former Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission - Mexican Section (2009-2020)

Keynote: Transforming Water Conflicts: Global Lessons in Hydrodiplomacy
Aaron Wolf, Professor, Oregon State University

Session 1: Frameworks for Collaboration Across Borders

• Moderator – Meena Westford, Director of Imported Water, San Diego County Water Authority
• Maria-Elena Giner, Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission – US Section
• Adriana Reséndez, Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission – Mexican Section

Session 2: Sharing the Colorado River

• Moderator – Arturo Gabaldón, President and General Manager, Community Water Company of Green Valley
• Andrea Gerlak, Professor, University of Arizona, 
  Introduction and Overview: History and Operations of the Colorado River
• Carlos A. de la Parra, Founding Partner, Centro Luken de Estrategias en Agua y Medio Ambiente
  Evolution of Collaboration between US and Mexico on the Colorado River
• Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes 
  Effective Tribal Consultation
• Francisco Zamora, Senior Director of Programs, Sonoran Institute 
  Cross-border Collaborations with NGOs 

Session 3: Sharing Other Waters

• Moderator – Justin Dutram, Assistant Vice President, Mexico and Latin American, University of Arizona
• Gilbert Anaya, Chief, Environmental Management Division, International Boundary and Water Commission – US Section  and
• Blanca Cabello, Deputy Director of Water Quality and Sanitation, International Boundary and Water Commission – Mexican Section 
  Understanding the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) and Advances 
  in Harmonizing Data Across Borders
• Tanya Trujillo, Deputy State Engineer and Senior Water Policy Advisor, New Mexico 
  Update on the Rio Grande and Groundwater in New Mexico

Special Recognition: Chairwoman Amelia Flores and Day 1 Closing

• Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes
• Levi Esquerra, Senior Vice President for Native American Advancement & Tribal Engagement, University of Arizona
• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona

Wed, May 21

DAY 2

Welcome Back

• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona

Keynote: Infrastructure, Investment, and Binational Collaboration
John Beckham, Managing Director, North American Development Bank (NADBank)

Session 4: Water Security and Trade

• Moderator – Natalie DeRoock, Administrator for Public Affairs, Tucson Water
• Rob Simm, Senior Vice President, Emergent Sector Leader, Water, Stantec
  Future Prospects for Binational Desalination
• Glenn Williamson, CEO, Canada Arizona Business Council
  Project Hourglass and Canadian Investments in the Water Sector
• Ben Ruddell, Professor, School of Informatics Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University
  Virtual Water Across Borders
• Michael Mendonca, Senior Director, Water Strategic Services, Salt River Project (SRP)
  Cross-border Partnerships for Water Augmentation and Flood Flow Capture in the Verde River System
• Francisco Lara-Valencia, Professor, School of Transborder Studies, Arizona State University
  Planning Across Borders

Session 5: Water Challenges and Funding

• Moderator – Thomas Throssell, Assistant Director, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
• Heather Whiteman Runs Him, Associate Clinical Professor and Director, Tribal Justice Clinic, University of Arizona
  Tribal Water Settlements and Funding for Tribal Water Infrastructure
• Brian Bennon, Director of National Tribal Water Systems, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA)
  Operational Capacity Development and Cross-border Knowledge Sharing
• Antonio Rascón, Principal Engineer, International Boundary and Water Commission – Mexican Section and
• Ramon Macias III, Principal Engineer, International Boundary and Water Commission – US Section
  International Water Treatment Plants in San Diego-Tijuana and Ambos Nogales 
• Judah Waxelbaum, Chief Legislative Liaison, Water Infrastructure Authority
  WIFA’s Approach to Water Augmentation and Funding/Financing

Dear Body of Water Interlude

• Gretchen E. Henderson, Poetry Center, University of Arizona

Tribal Leader Keynotes
Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor, Gila River Indian Community
Roland Flores, Council Member, Pascua Yaqui Tribe

• Introductions - Gwendena Lee-Gatewood, Co-Chair, Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network

Lunch Program: Arizona-Sonora Border Dialogue
Keynote: The Honorable Katie Hobbs, Governor of Arizona

Session 6: Water Sector Collaborations

• Moderator – Joaquin Marruffo, Border Programs Manager, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality 
• John Kmiec, Director, Tucson Water
  Municipal Sector: Tucson’s Collaborations Across Borders
• Joshua Moore, Farm Manager, Colorado River Indian Tribes Farms
  Agricultural Sector: CRIT Farms and Water Conservation
• Allison Moore, Executive Vice President, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
  Agricultural Sector: Cross-border Agricultural Production, Trade, and Transportation
• Sandy Fabritz, Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan
  Mining Sector: Innovations in Mining Water Use 

Session 7: Data and Knowledge Sharing

• Moderator – Holly Estrada Mechsner, Executive Director, Canada Arizona Business Council
• Susan Montgomery, Attorney, Montgomery & Interpreter, PLC
  Building Trust through Data and Collaborative Modeling
• Rosario Sanchez, Senior Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute
  Binational Knowledge Sharing Platform
• Elia Tapia, Professor, Universidad de Sonora
  Translating Science

US Bureau of Reclamation Update 

• Introduction – Alexander Smith, Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office
• Carly Jerla, Post-2026 Program Manager, Bureau of Reclamation 
• Amy Witherall, Binational Program Manager, Lower Colorado River Basin Region, Bureau of Reclamation

Keynote: Status of Colorado River Negotiations
Tom Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources

• Introduction – Jamie McEvoy, Associate Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona